‘My Lord, when a baby defecates on his mother’s lap she doesn’t chop off her lap but rather cleans it, I pray the court to be lenient with me’- Two jailed 25 years for robbery

Jurors took just over seven hours to return the guilty verdicts on the 64-year-old man. Stock Picture

Image: Credit(www.seis-micent.com)

A Driver and an Unemployed Man have been handed a twenty-five (25) year jail term each for robbery.

The Two armed robbers robbed one Nana Ama Fabiaa Kyeremeh of her Samsung tablet phone, one Samsung note three (3) mobile phone, an iPhone, one thirty-two (32) inch flat screen television, a power bank and a golden Rolex watch, all to the tune of GHȻ8,300.00 and cash in the sum GHȻ200.00.

The Convicts, Kwesi Asampana, a driver and Dodzi Lovi, an unemployed man were charged with conspiracy and robbery respectively but they denied any wrongdoing of the charges leveled against them by the Prosecution in their preliminary statements and evidence-in-chief.

After the case had been fully tried by an Accra Circuit Court, the Convicts were found guilty of the offences preferred against them by the Court and sentenced accordingly.

Pleading for mitigation, Kwesi Asampana said ‘to err is human and also when a baby defecates on his mother’s lap she doesn’t chop off her lap but rather cleans it, adding that the court should therefore deal with him leniently.

Sentencing the Convicts, the court took into consideration the Convicts’ plea for mitigation and the fact that they were in custody while the case was being tried.

Pronouncing judgment, the presiding judge, His Honour, Aboagye Tandoh asserted that the Prosecution was able to establish beyond reasonable doubt that the Convicts indeed committed the offences. The Presiding Judge also said that the conduct of the Convicts warranted a deterrent sentence to dissuade the youth from emulating such unlawful acts.

Background to the Case

Narrating the facts, DSP Patience Mario stated that the Complainants are Vida Oduro Marfo, a student and Nana Ama Fabiaa Kyeremeh, a banker who live in the same house at Adjiringanor in Accra, whilst the first Accused, Kwesi Asampana is a driver and resides at Madina Estate, adding that the second Accused, Dodzi Norvi is an unemployed man who lives at Madina, Zongo.

The Prosecutor said that on the 16th of February, 2016, at about 2:00am, the first and second Accused persons who were armed with knives and pliers invaded the house of the Complainants. Prosecution added that the Accused persons forced the door of the first Complainant open and took her hostage, stating that the second Accused pointed a knife on her to shut up else they would kill her.

‘The Accused persons succeeded in robbing the first Complainant of her Samsung mobile phone. The first Accused who was not satisfied with what he got from the first Complainant’s room forced her on the floor and raped her’, the Prosecution asserted.

DSP Mario also informed the court that the Accused persons then proceeded to the second Complainant’s room and took her hostage, robbing her of one Samsung tablet mobile phone, a Samsung note three (3) mobile phone, an iPhone, one thirty-two (32) inch flat screen television, a power bank, a golden Rolex watch, all valued at GH 8,300.00 and cash in the sum of GH 200.00. The Prosecution reiterated that a complaint was lodged at the Police Station and the first Accused was arrested, adding that the first Accused admitted the offence and led the Police to arrest the second Accused at his hideout.

The first and second Accused persons further informed the Police that they sold the rest of the items for GHȻ1,200.00 to one Kwabena who is on the run and shared the proceeds. Each person had GHȻ600.00, the Prosecutor said. ‘A search was conducted in the second Accused person’s house and one Samsung tablet belonging to the first Complainant was retrieved. After the investigation the Accused persons were charged with the offences.